The conversion of lignocellulosic biomass has been the subject of intense research efforts since the 1970s (Blumer-Schuette et al., 2008, Extremely thermophilic microorganisms for biomass conversion: status and prospects, Curr Opinion Biotechnol 19, pp. 210-217; Perez et al., 2002, Int Microbiol 5, pp 53-63). It is believed, however, that future biofuels or bioenergy products should originate from raw lignocellulosic biomass, instead of from agricultural feedstocks.
WO2009/063079 describes the use of stress-resistant bacteria such as Deinococcus bacteria for the production of bioenergy products and metabolites through degradation and fermentation of biomass. WO2010081899, unpublished at the priority date of the present application, discloses the ability of bacteria such as Deinococcus bacteria to produce valuable drugs, including antibiotics.
By pursuing their research towards the identification of bacteria having improved properties, the inventors have identified and isolated a particular bacterium of the Deinococcus species, termed M1-3H. This bacterium was isolated and selected by the inventors based on its remarkable ability to degrade biomass components and to generate metabolites. By analysing this bacterium in more details, the inventors have surprisingly found that its genome was very large, i.e., above 4 megabases long (Mb), in comparison to the genome size of classical Deinococcus bacterium. Indeed, the average size of the genome of a Deinococcus bacterium is around 3.0 Mb. Furthermore, the inventors have also surprisingly found that the genome of this bacterium contains a substantial degree of genomic diversity, i.e., substantial level of genetic material acquired by genetic transfer from diverse other species.
Several bacteria of the genus Deinococcus have been sequenced: Deinococcus radiodurans (White O et al., Science 1999 Nov. 19; 286(5444):1571-7), Deinococcus geothermalis (Makarova K S et at PLoS One. 2007 Sep. 26; 2(9):c955) and Deinococcus deserti (De Groot A. et al., PLoS Genet. 2009 March; 5(3): c1000434). None of these bacteria exhibit the properties of M1-3H.
The present invention thus describes, for the first time, the existence of bacteria related to Deinococcus having the unexpected properties (1) to display a genome substantially larger than the known Deinococcus species, and (2) to have acquired genetic diversity from diverse other species. The present invention also describes, for the first time, the existence of bacteria related to Deinococcus having the unexpected properties (1) to display a genome substantially smaller than the known Deinococcus species, and (2) to have acquired genetic diversity from diverse other species. These bacteria, as well as their uses, represent the subject matter of the present invention.